The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toy vehicles, and more particularly to a motorized walking toy vehicle with a ramp for enabling receipt and transportation of another toy vehicle, and for enabling folding of the ramp to support the vehicle in a sitting position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toy vehicles have been a source of amusement for decades, particularly the types of toy vehicles which provide some form of animation, motion, or flexibility in play situations. Some such vehicles are provided with appendages for simulating a walking movement.
One such early walking toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 733,353, issued July 7, 1903, to Bull, for "Toy", in which a toy in the form of an elephant is provided with a mechanism for walking.
Another such toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,719, entitled "Walking Doll Action", issued to Edwardson, on Feb. 2, 1954, the mechanism being provided with a pair of legs operated by a crank mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,336, is directed to a "Toy Having Capacitance Switch", and was issued to Nozaki on Feb. 2, 1971, and illustrates a mechanism for driving four legs in synchronism, with the motor device thereof activated by a capacitance switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,042, entitled "Walking Mechanisms", issued to Byrtus, on Feb. 9, 1960, suoh patent disclosing a four-legged mechanism with articulated appendages.
Another walking figure toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,367, issued to Ogawa, on June 20, 1978, such patent being entitled "Articulated Robot Assembly", the toy being a motor driven robot figure with removable legs, the figure then being attachable to accessory items.
Another such mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,602, issued Dec. 11, 1979 to Choi for "Automated Mechanism for Imparting Movement to Limbs of a Mechanical Toy", the patent disclosing a mechanism including a pair of articulated motor driven leg members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,006, issued to Jones et al, on Feb. 3, 1981, and is entitled "Reconfigurable Moving Animal Simulating Toy", the toy having upper and lower body sections which are operatively attachable in a plurality of configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,987, entitled "Doll Which Rises From Prone to Standing Position", was issued to Bart, on Sept. 21, 1982, and discloses a robot doll with motor driven movable arm and leg members for simulating walking and falling down with the mechanims enabling movement from a prone position to an erect position.
A "Mechanism for Animating Walking Dolls and the Like" is shown and described in Canadian Pat. No. 576,396, issued to Herbert E. Price, on May 26, 1959. In this patent, the toy is configured as a doll with an outer covering and an inner mechanism with articulated leg levers to simulate walking.
Another walking toy is shown and described in British Pat. No. 719,817, published Dec. 8, 1954, the patent being entitled "Improvements Relating to Walking Figures", with the doll thereof having a spring driven motor which drives the legs, as a unit from side to side.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved animated walking toy vehicle with a ramp.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved walking vehicle with a ramp which may be used to load other vehicles thereon.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved motor driven four-legged toy vehicle with a ramp which may be positioned for support of the vehicle in a sitting position for simulating boxing when the motor is operated.